Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.9552
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Portrait of Gideon Mantell
Date
1837
Sitter
Gideon Algernon Mantell (1790 - 1852, British) , Surgeon
Creator
John James Masquerier (1778 - 1855, British) , Painter
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (painting): 762mm
width (painting): 635mm
width (painting): 635mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Mantell is painted at half-length in a black coat and waistcoat with a white shirt and high stock collar. He is clean-shaven with long side-whiskers. Behind, to the viewer’s right, displayed on a cushion, are a large fossil and a smaller bone: apparently the thighbones of Iguandon and a modern iguana.
Gideon Mantell was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1825.
Gideon Mantell was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1825.
Object history
Bequeathed by Walter Mantell, 1859.
The portrait is mentioned in Mantell’s journal, on 3 June 1837: “Mr Masquerier painted my portrait.“ [The journal of Gideon Mantell surgeon and geologist: covering the years 18§8-1852, edited with an introduction and notes by E.Cecil Curwen (London, Oxford University Press, 1940), p.139]. Although the donation is not noted in Royal Society Council Minutes for 1859, the painting was certainly in the Royal Society’s collection by the publication of Weld’s catalogue in 1860. [Descriptive catalogue of the portraits in the possession of the Royal Society, by Charled Richard Weld (London, Taylor & Francis, 1860), p.47]. The donation date appears in later catalogues.
The portrait is mentioned in Mantell’s journal, on 3 June 1837: “Mr Masquerier painted my portrait.“ [The journal of Gideon Mantell surgeon and geologist: covering the years 18§8-1852, edited with an introduction and notes by E.Cecil Curwen (London, Oxford University Press, 1940), p.139]. Although the donation is not noted in Royal Society Council Minutes for 1859, the painting was certainly in the Royal Society’s collection by the publication of Weld’s catalogue in 1860. [Descriptive catalogue of the portraits in the possession of the Royal Society, by Charled Richard Weld (London, Taylor & Francis, 1860), p.47]. The donation date appears in later catalogues.
Associated place
